Gaming device



Mar. :3. 1925.

1,528,661 J. H. EWING GAMING DEVICE Filed Jan. 8, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet lMar. 3, 1925.

' 1,528,661 J. H. EWING GAMING DEVICE Filed Jan. 8, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Patented Mar. 3, 1925 PATENT oFFleu.

JOSEPH n1; EWING, or MALTA, l 0310.

GAMING DEVICE,

i Application filed January 3, 1923. Serial 'No. 611,443.

Toall whom it may conoemr Be it'known that I, JOSEPH H1 EWING, a citizenof the United States, residing at Malta, in the county of Morgan andState of Ohio,'have invented Certain new and useful Improvements inGamingDevices, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvementsjn games.

The primary object of this inventionis the provision of a compact gamedevice, which may be played by a plurality of persons in such manner asto test the skill of persons laying the same.

A further object'of the invention is the provision of a gaming devicewhich may be used as a game of chance, embodying a novel arrangement forcontrol of playing elements in such manner as to effectively place thewinning playing element ina novel goal de vlce.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a gaming devicewhich maybe played by a plurality of persons at gatherings, such ascarnivals, fairs, picnics, etc, embodying means whereby the same may beselectively used as a game of skill or chance.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an amusementdevice, which 3 maybe used for advertising purposes, or as a tradestimulator.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following detailed description.

. In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the im- 4 proved gaming device.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross sectional view, taken through the improvedgamingdevice, showing, the essential cooperating details thereo Figure 3is a plan view of the improved gaming, device.

Figure 4 1s a perspective view of cooperat ing details of a novel targetdevice embodied in the improved game- Figures-5 and 6 are transverse,cross" s'ec'-, 50

tional views taken substantially on theirrespective lines in Figure 2 ofthe drawings; Figure 7 is -a perspective view ofa goal arrangement usedinconnection with the im proved gamingdevice. 4 5

Figure 8 1s a cross sectional view, taken substantia'llyon the line 8-8ofFi'gur'e'5.

Figure 9 is a plan viewfof a novel baifle member used as a detail of theimproved. gaming device. 7

Figure 10 is a transverse orosssectional view taken" substantially onthe, line 10 -10 of the element illustrated in Figure 9.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown butthe preferred embodiment of this invention, the letter A generallydesignates the improved game; which'may include a housing ,10; battle arrangement 11; mouth piece 12; target device 13; goal device 14;andplaying elements 15.

The improved game may be used in miniature form, or may be relativelylarge as when used at carnivals, fairs, picnics and thelike. VVhen'soused, the housing 10 is preferablyof cylindrical formation, and may bean ordinary barrel, including the bottom 20 and annular side walls 21.The side walls 21 adjacent the bottom 20* are provided with an opening22, which may be polygonal or circular in outline; the dimension ofwhich is preferably twice that of the width or diameter of a playingelement l5. The top of the barrel or housing 10 is entirely open toreceive themouth piece 12, as will be subsequently described.

Referring to the bafiie arrangement 11 over which the playing elements15 are adapted to travel from the top opening of the housing 10 to theexit opening 22 at'the bottom of said housing, the same includes athroat piece 28; bottom baflle plate 29; and intermediate bafile plates30.- The bottom baifle-plate-29 is circular in plan-view, and

V-shaped in cross section. Itis mountedwithin the compartment of thehousinglO by brackets 32, so that the lowermost'end' thereof isdisposed'adjacent the bottom edge of the exitopening 22, with the groove33 provided by the V-shape of said baflie plate 29, extending upwardlyin the compartment on an incline from said exit opening 22, to theopposite edge of said baflie plate 29.

The intermediate baffle plates 30 may be provided in any approvednumber. They are somewhat analogous to the lower baflie plate 29, andare circular in plan view and substantially V-shaped in formationproviding a diametral groove 35, at one end of which groove the baffleplate 30 is recessed inwardly, as at 36, to provide an opening throughwhich the playing elements 15 may pass when the bafile plates aremounted within the compartment of the housing 10. Suitable brackets 38may be provided for mounting the baflie plates 30 in inclined rela tionwithin the compartment, it being preferred that the playing elementpassageway 36 of an upper baffle be at the lowermost part of saidbalile, and immediately above the elevated end of the next lower plateor runway, substantially as is illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings.

The throat member 28 is positioned at the top of the compartmentprovided by the bar rel or housing 10 and is of funnel shapedconstruction, providing the restricted opening 40, which may be circularand of about twice the size of the diameter of a playing element 15. Thesurface provided by the throat member 28 converges downwardly into thecompartment of the housing 10, so that playing elements may passthereover onto the baffle plates within said housing compartment.

The mouth piece 12 is of funnel shaped construction, including theflaring side walls 42 converging to provide a restricted opening 43 atthe lower end of said mouth piece, about which the annular flange 44 isprovided, adapted for extension into the top opening of the housing 10and for attachment therein in any preferred manner. Thus, the mouthpiece 42 extends outwardly of the housing 10 in upwardly flaring manner.

The target arrangement 13 is adapted for disposition within the flaringtop portion 42 of the mouth piece 12, so that the top walls of the sameextend upwardly above the top marginal edge 48 of the mouth piece 42.This target 13 is of novel construction and preferably includes a pairof flat pieces 49 and 50, of any approved material, which may besuitably recessed, as at 52, whereby the same may interengage inintersecting planes, so to speak, providing a plurality of walls. It ispreferred that the lower corners 53 of the pieces 49 and of the target13 be bevelled, so that the same may rest upon the inner flaring surfaceof the mouth piece 12.

The goal device 14 is of novel construction, and includes a mainreceptacle open suitable at its top, and providing the blocks 61 thereinhaving the straight surfaces thereof downwardly converging in V-shapedrelation to provide a groove or passageway for the playing elements 15.The front wall 62 of the receptacle 60 is provided with an opening 63,which leads into a small receptacle 64 providing a compartment 65,within which the winning playing element is adapt ed to pass from theopening 63 to the exclusion of all other playing elements. The V- shapedgroove provided by the blocks 61 is entirely open at the rear of theball recep tacle 60, and at this end of the receptacle 60, a transversecleat 68 is provided at the bottom of the goal, so that the grooveprovided by the block 61 may have an incline toward the winningcompartment 65. The goal device 14 is proximately disposed with respectto the opening 22 of the frame housing 10, so that a playing elementpassing from the opening 22 may readily enter the V-sha-ped groove orpassageway provided by the goal device 14.

The playing elements 15 are preferably spherical in formation, and maybe numbered, colored, or marked in any approved manner to readilydistinguish them from each other.

lVhen the improved game is used as one of skill, any number of balls orplaying elements are provided, equal to the number of playersparticipating. Appropriate paddles, tokens, or markers may be providedto designate the particular playing elements which the players use. Incase the numerical system of marking is used, it is of course.understood that the marker which a person holds bears a duplicate numberof that num ber appearing upon the playing element which that personuses. The object, when the game is used as one of skill is to be on thealert to act quickly after a. given signal is given, such as the firingof a pistol, to get his or her ball into the mouth piece of the improvedgame as accurately as possible. The players may be arranged circumferemtially in spaced relation about the improved game, and may throw theplaying elements at the target 13, so that the same will enter the mouthpiece and baiile arrangen'ient. The first playing element entering thegoal compartment 65 wins, and the person holding the marker designatingthat playing element is the winner.

hen the improved game is used as one of chance, the target. device 13need not be used. Playing elements 15 and appropriate markers (notshown) are also used when the improved game is used as one of chance.However, the playing elements or balls 15, instead of being thrown attargets, are placed in a basket or appropriate receptacle and dumpedinto the mouth piece 12. The first playing element or ball entering thepocketfor compartment 65 is the winner, and the rize should beawardedzto the person holding the marker represent-ing such 'play- Fromthe foregoing description of this in vention, it is apparent that'a'compact' game apparatus 'has been provided, which may be played by aplurality of persons, and which will afford considerable amusement. Thegame may be selectively played as one of chance or skill, and may beused for advertising purposes, or as a stimulant for trade, in thedisposition of articles of merchandise as prizes.

Various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be madeto the form of invention herein shown and described, without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim 1. A game comprising a cylindrical shaped housing having anopening at the lower end thereof, a baffie plate substantially V-shapedin cross section disposed within said housing and in inclined relationand providing a groove which inclines downwardly from one side of saidhousing to the opening at the other side of said housing, and aplurality of baffle plates relatively inclined and mounted within saidhousing upwardly of said first mentioned baffle plate, said lastmentioned baflie plates providing grooves having communicatingpassageways transversely through said plates at the lower ends of saidgrooves, and playing elements adapted for disposition within saidhousing for successive travel over said baffle plates and onto thelowermost bafile plate and through the opening at the lower end of saidhousing.

2. A game comprising a housing, inclined runways in the housingpositioned one above another and inclined in opposite directions, theupper runways having their lower ends provided with passageways and thehousing having a passageway at the lower end of the lower runway, a goalat the lower end of the housing and in operative relation to the outlet,a mouth piece supported by said housing upwardly thereof, a targetcarried by the mouth piece and exposed outwardly of said mouth iece, andprojectable playing elements, to e projected toward said target so thatthey may fall into the mouth piece when striking the target and of asize to pass over said runways and through the passageways to the goalat the lower end of said housing to indicate a score obtained by aplayer.

3. A game comprising a housing having its upper end portion providedwith an inlet and its lower end portion provided with an outlet, baffleplates carried within said housing for controlling movement of aprojectile through the housing from the inlet to the outlet, a goal atthe lower end of said housing in operative relation to the outlet, afunel shaped mouth piece. carried at the upper end of said; housing andflaring outwardly therefrom and open at its upp'erand lower ends, atarget carried within the funnel shaped mouth piece including aplurality of walls in intersecting planes, said walls extending upwardlyfrom said mouth piece, and playing elements to be projected by playerstoward the walls of said target and fall into the mouthpiece afterstriking said target, the playing pieces being of proper size forpassing and onto the baffle plates within said housing and aftertraveling thereover passing through the outlet to the goal at the lowerend of said housing to indicate the score ob tained by a player.

4. A game comprising a housing of cylindrical formation having an outletopening at the lower end thereof, a goal in operative relation to theoutlet, a plurality of baffle plates carried within the compartment ofsaid housing for directing a projectile through the housing andpositioned in in clined relation one above the other and havingpassageways whereby communication intermediate the various baflie platesis established, a throat member of funnel shaped formation carriedwithin said compartment at the upper end of said housing and providing arestricted opening entering into said compartment for directing aplaying element onto the first baffle plate, a funnel shaped mouth piececarried upwardly of said housing at the large end of said throat memberextending outwardly of the housing in flaring relation, a target carriedby said mouth piece extending upwardly thereof, and playing elements tobe projected towards the target and upon striking the target drop downthrough the mouth piece an throat for movement over the battle plateswithin the compartment of said housing and through the outlet opening iat the lower end of said housing into the goal to indicate the scoreobtained by the player.

5. A game comprising a housing having an outlet in its lower endportion, a plurality of battle plates arranged within said housing ininclined relation one above the other for directing a playing elementthrough the housing to the outlet, a throat piece providing a restrictedopening at the upper end of said housing and positioned for directing aplaying element onto the upper baflle plate, a mouth piece extendingoutwardly above said housing in flaring relation for receiving theplaying element and directing the same into the mouth piece, a targetcarried upwardly by said mouth piece, a goal member positionedexternally of said housing in operative relation to the outlet andplaying elements to be projected towards the target and upon strikingthe target drop into the through said mouth piece.

mouth piece and pass through said mouth in plan view and providingrelatively fiatpiece and drop onto the upper baflie plate convergingside portions arranged in V- and move along the baffle plates andthrough shaped relation to provide a diametral 10 the outlet into thegoal to indicate the score groove, said bafiie plate having a recess ex-U obtained by the player. tending inwardly of a marginal edge thereof 6.As an article of manufacture, a baflle at one end of said groove. platefor game devices substantially circular JOSEPH H. EWING.

